by Lee Williams
Sixty-five-year-old Lawrence Michael DeStefano’s freedom ended abruptly Wednesday, as prison officials took him from a jail cell in the Free State of Florida to the hellhole of Rikers Island in New York.
DeStefano, who had never committed any crime in his home state of Florida, could now spend the rest of his life behind bars in a New York State prison.
If you’re one of the 50,000 New Yorkers who bought Polymer 80 pistol kits from DeStefano and his firm Indie Guns over the years, rest easy. He promised he will never reveal your name. You are 100% safe. He is willing to give up all of his rights and personal freedoms and spend the rest of his life as an inmate in order to safeguard your freedom. The Second Amendment truly means that much to him.
If you want someone to blame, look no further than New York State Attorney General Leticia James. She is the sole reason why DeStefano is facing 521 years behind bars. The more than five centuries of potential prison time he faces are on par with James’ crazy and overzealous course.
You’ll recall that James first tried to get DeStefano to turn over his New York customer list through a civil suit, which he ignored. Nine other firms that sold pistol kits complied with James’ demands, and their owners remain free. DeStefano ignored the lawsuit that James won, of course, but her lengthy press release never mentions that her opponent never showed up. It does, of course, mention the $7.8 million default judgement against DeStefano and his firm, Indie Guns.
DeStefano got little help from Florida officials. After New York Gov. Kathy Hochul sent a letter to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, charging DeStefano with 71 New York state crimes, DeSantis sent a letter last month to all Florida sheriffs and peace officers, commanding them to arrest DeStefano, who was already in custody.
DeStefano never broke any Florida laws, it should be pointed out. Unserialized pistol kits are perfectly legal in the Sunshine State. I have assembled several myself.
What’s crystal clear is that DeStefano will never receive a fair trial in New York, especially with James overseeing their final legal bout. Nearly everything he offered his customers is illegal in that horrible state, but DeStefano truly didn’t care about New York laws. He was governed solely by the Second Amendment, which unfortunately does not exist under James and her cronies.
True heroism has, for me, always been somewhat difficult to define. However, anyone who forgoes their right to remain free so 50,000 New Yorkers have the ability to protect themselves and their families inside their homes truly qualifies.
That’s what Letitia James and her ilk will never understand. DeStefano never got rich selling gun parts. He estimated he earned around $200,000 per year, which isn’t a lot given all that he had to watch out for. He sold his parts kits to anyone who wanted one so they could feel safe.
That, friends, is truly heroic. He will certainly be missed.